Fire erupted in the engine room of crude oil tanker Seaborne Petro (IMO 9247833) during the evening of September 15th, some 9nm south-west of the tanker’s destination, which was Cinta Oil Terminal, Java sea, north-west of Jakarta. The tanker drifted or moved dead ahead until 18:30 local time on September 16th, when it anchored 18nm north of Ciwandan, Java, in the Sunda Strait. It was reported that the fire had been extinguished and that the situation had been brought under control. However, at one point it had been averred that the crew was about to leave the ship on lifeboats. The tanker was en route from Dumai. No injuries were reported.
2003-built, Indonesia-flagged, 57,529 gt Seaborne Petro is owned by Waruna Nusa Sentana PT of Jakarta, Indonesia. It is entered with North of England on behalf of PT Waruna Nusa Sentana. As of September 13th the vessel was reported as Not Under Command in the java Sea.
A dozen Nigerian stowaways were reported to have fled or been thrown from Chinese-crewed bulk carrier Ophelia (IMO 9228083) on September 10th when the ship was sailing along the Liberian coast, en route from Lagos to Orinoco. It was alleged that there had been 14 stowaways on board but that two of them had died in unclear circumstances. Of the 12 survivors, six of them swam to the shore and notified the Joint Security Task Force in Grand Kru. The other six were rescued by a Joint Security Task Force. The ship’s AIS was
reported to have been off since September 9th, adding to the confusion, with all reports of how events unfolded subject to scrutiny. The Nigerians said that they were discovered in the ship after they had made their presence known by requesting food from the crew, having spent five days without food and water after the departure from Lagos.
2002-built, Panama-flagged, 28,718 gt Ophelia is owned by Serendipper Shipping Ltd care of manager Sea Ray Shipping Co Ltd of Shandong, China. It is entered with Swedish Club on behalf of Serendipper Shipping Ltd. No AIS since September 8th when the vessel was in the Gulf of Guinea, heading from Lagos to Orino, Japan, ETA September 23rd.
Bulk carrier Golden Bright (IMO 9262986) remained under arrest at the outer anchorage of Chittagong Port as of September 14th after the issuance of the a High Court Order on September 1st. The vessel had arrived on August 30th with 23,000 tonnes of Indian salt, but had not completed off-loading. It was alleged that, while coming to the outer anchorage, the ship had allided with Bangladeshi-owned bulk carrier Jahan Brothers (IMO
9072226) at the outer anchorage. The latter vessel had arrived on August 27th, laden with limestone for the local cement industry. The owner of Jahan Brothers filed a case for damages. Both vessels may have been damaged, but the report of the survey was yet to be released. As of September 14th the Jahan Brothers remained moored off Chittagong.
2003-built, Panama-flagged, 19,887 gt Golden Bright is owned and managed by Thag Long Gas Co Ltd of Hanoi City, Vietnam. As of September 17th it was at Chittagong Anchorage.
1994-built, Bangladesh-flagged, 25,899 gt Jahan Brothers is owned by Maa Shipping Pvt Ltd care of Brave Royal Ship management of Chattogram, Bangladesh. It is entered with American Club on behalf of Maa Shipping Pvt Ltd. As of September 16th it was in Bengal Bay.
The Captain of tuna seiner Chin Long Cheng No 18 (MMSI 416213700) died of natural causes on board of his vessel on September 15th when the vessel was about 610nm north of Guam. The vessel went adrift, waiting for assistance, with about nine Indonesian crew members reported to be on board.
Tankship Parth (IMO 9440227) developed a heavy list due to water ingress in the ballast tanks around dawn on September 16th while it was in the Arabian Sea, en route from Khor Fakkan to New Mangalore, with 3,911 tons of bitumen on board. The 19 crew members, including 18 Indians and the Ethiopian Master, abandoned the vessel and were rescued by the Indian Coast Guard. Indian Coast Guard vessels Sujeet and Apoorva were diverted to the scene. NAVTEX warnings were relayed to alert other vessels in the area as well as a light helicopter. Containership Wadi Bani Khalid (IMO 9352391) diverted to assist the ICG.
2008-built, Gabon-flagged, 3,763 gt Parth is owned by Parth Shipping Inc care of Safe Seas Ship Management Fze of Sharjah, UAE. As of September 16th the vessel was underway off the West Coast of India, en route from Khor Fakkan, UAE, to Mangalore, India, ETA September 17th.
